Gas pressure maintenance



Dec. 12, 1933.

H. A. FEE 1,933,956

GAS PRESSURE MAINTENANCE Filed June 29, 1931 /J ff /j arry AZ 722 Patented Dec. 12, 1933 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 1,938,956 7 oa'srrwssoaa MAINTENANCE Harry A. Fee, Adrian, Mich. Application June 29, 1931. SerialNo. 547,684

4 Claims. (Cl. 137-79) This invention relates to features of control in pressure systems, more especially against gas dissipation when the gas is relied upon as the reserve 7 for maintaining pressure.

This invention has utility when incorporated in hydro-pneumatic storage systems or other systems using a compressed gas to absorb fluctuations or pulsations and wherein the reserve of the compressed and expansible medium is checked against depletion by an intervening media preventing absorption of the gas by the liquid to be delivered under pressure.

The figure is a showing in partial section, with parts broken away, and serves as a diagrammatic disclosure for an embodiment of the inlevel of the liquid volume in the container 1.

Following the initial charging of the container with a liquid to be dispensed therefrom, air may be introduced with the volume of oil required. This may occur from pipe 8 as controlled by valve 9, and is to be understood as merely the charging for initial tank condition or pressure condition in the container 1.

In operation, this container may be in a line or system wherein pump pulsations are smoothed out and the pressure held to approximate a constant by the compressed gas as held or trapped in the chamber portion 3.

Additionally, in isolated plants of the so-called v hydro-pneumatic type, motor 10 through belt 11 may drive pulley 12 for operating pump 13 to draw a liquid such as water from a source of supply, as a well, and introduce such under pressure into line 14 in communication through line 15 with points of delivery such as a spigot 16.

This pump may have its automatic pressure con-,

trol valve 6 maintaining a given pressure in the container 3, or it may be manually controlled for intermittent operation to efiect the building up of liquid-reserve in the tank or container,

' when the valve 6 would work as a safety valve.

The pipe 14 has branch 17 extending past valve 18 to deliver by drop pipe portion 19 into the lower portion of the container 1. This valve 18 is provided with float 20 so located on arm 21 for operating the valve 18 that should there beany unusual lowering of the liquid 2 in the container 1, in no instance can such be to an extent that the diaphragm 4 will, as a movable piston, be lowered to such an extent as to pass out into the system 15. This shutting off not only saves the diaphragm, but is a means holding the volume of the gas or air as trapped in the upper portion of the container 1 at the region 3.

In practice, this diaphragm or piston 4 is of an oil which precludes or largely prevents absorption of air or gas from the chamber 3 into the liquid 2. It is desired that the delivery of replenishing liquid to the container 1 be not of a disrupting character, although the replenishment effort with gas bubbles rising therefrom 70, should not detract from the reserve, for such will readily escape through a film 4 upward while this film will defeat absorption of this reserve of gas by the water or liquid in the chamber 2.

Thus, in normal operation, the pump efliciency is at its maximum in delivering the full volume of liquid as it is not required to replenish the gas content to make up any loss due to absorption by the liquid. The gas pressure-holding medium,. as once supplied, may be effective for an an indefinite period of time. v

In these installations, especially in rural regions, the hydro-pneumatic system is frequently adapted for drinking water and cooking purposes, and importance resides in that the water 35, shall not be contaminated even by the diaphragm or piston. To this end an odorless, tasteless oil for the diaphragm is adopted, and the petroleum product known'as American Oil has answered satisfactorily.

' The invention herein has utility for handling chemicals, the liquid 2 may be an acid or chemical solution while the gas in the chamber 3 be of a character having no reaction with the liquid. The baflle may comprise a liquid inert to either the gas or, liquid.

In some instances where there is an excessive amount of air or other gas in the liquid being pumped, chamber 22 may be provided in the line 14 wherein the gas and liquid are separated. 10o

drops to open valve 25 to discharge the excess 7 pressure.

- What'is claimed and it is desired to secure by United States LettersPatent is:

1. A liquid supply system embodying a source of liquid under pressure, a chamber into which liquid may separate therefrom, means intermit-' tently discharging accumulated gas from;said chamber, a pressure tank for receiving liquid from the chamber, said tank having a predetermined and maintained constant gas entity therein, an oil diaphragm in said tank, and a liquid" distribution line from said tank.

3. A liquid supply system embodying asource oiliquid under pressure, a chamber into which liquidsupply is forced from said source for temporary storage wherein gas entrapped in said liquid may separate therefrom, a pressure tank for receiving liquid from the chamber, said tank having a predetermined and maintained constant gas quantity therein, an oil diaphragm in said tank, a liquid distribution line from said tank, and means limiting the maximum liquid discharge from said tank to prevent the oil diaphragm flowing into the distribution line.

4. In a liquid supply system, a source of liquid under pressure, a pressure tank therein to receive liquid supply from the source, a distribution line from said tank, said tank having a predetermined and maintained constant entity of gas under pressure for forcing the liquid received from the source through the distribution line, and an oil diaphragm between the liquid in the tank and the pressure gas, said diaphragm of a thickness 'rendering it impermeable to pressure air flow therethrough into the liquid, said oil being of a type not imparting odor or taste to the liquid. I HARRY A. FEE. 

